1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for making bait from poultry waste unfit for human consumption, for aquatic food sources such as fish, crab, conch, eel, shrimp, lobster, crayfish, etc.
2. Description of Related Art
Bait for fish and other seafood is an important part of the seafood industry. Bait has traditionally come from a variety sources, one of the most popular being the remains from other animal based food processing facilities such as meat, fish and poultry. Interestingly enough, a broad array of fish and crustaceans can be caught with these types of waste materials, which are reflected in the related art.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,988,479 issued to Stephan et al. outlines a process for preparing a heterogeneous liquid proteinaceous fish bait. The process includes forming the heterogeneous liquid proteinaceous material into a fish bait shape and cooling the liquid to form a solid gelatin mass. A polymeric tanning agent is used to form an insoluble skin around the solid gelatin mass. The heterogeneous liquid proteinaceous material includes salmon egg waste and other fish cannery waste to provide an attracting odor for the fish bait.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,053,640 issued to Takasugi outlines a fish bait that is made up of raw fish that has been pulverized and blended with a surfactive agent that is dried by a process which allows the bait to remain raw. The dried fish bait is then pulverized again and is placed into a sealed water permeable container. The fish bait is used by putting the container into the water and letting the taste and smell of the fish bait dispersed through the water attract the desired fish.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,097,610 issued to Morrison et al. outlines a process for making fish bait from commercially suitable and unsuitable salmon eggs. The process specifically involves mixing the salmon eggs and any residual material from the salmon eggs with a binder, such as sugar, and spreading the mixture into an open vessel and swab oil onto the mixture and cook (in a vacuum) into a congealed mass. The congealed mass is again spread and cooked and cut into strips for convenient packaging and sale.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,206,236 issued to Orth, Jr. outlines a process for preserving waste proteinaceous animal food materials against decomposition and decay while being put in the water for extended periods of time. The waste proteinaceous animal food materials are first pulverized and then blended with a polyol having 2 to 8 carbon atoms and 2 to 6 hydroxyl groups. The materials, polyol and attapulgus clay are then mixed together to form a putty, that is extruded into desired shapes. The final product is used as bait for fish and crustaceans.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,362,748 issued to Cox outlines a process for forming shaped edible food products intended for human consumption, animal consumption or as bait for fish and crustaceans. Specific food products formed specifically include dog food, cat food, cottage cheese, caviar and fish bait. The artificial food products must also undergo sterilization if made on a mass production basis.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,281,425 issued to Stribling et al. outlines a process for producing bait food for crabs and lobsters. The process involves retrieving unrendered skeletal remains from the poultry, pork, and beef producing industries and grinding these skeletal remains into a hamburger like consistency and stuffing these materials into sausage casings. The formed sausage casings are sealed and are used in the water to provide an olfactory stimulus to attract crabs and lobsters.
Each patent outlines an important process used to produce bait for fish and crustaceans. Only the process described in the Stribling et al. patent addresses the use of poultry waste as bait for fish and crustaceans. That process is further limited in using only skeletal remains. What is really needed is a process that produces a broader range of poultry waste into bait for fish and crustaceans. Such a process could also utilize more sophisticated technology then that outlined in the processes described in the previous patents.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
The invention is a process for making bait from poultry waste unfit for human consumption, for aquatic food sources such as fish, crab, conch, eel, shrimp, lobster, crayfish, etc. The poultry waste is picked up from chicken farms and poultry processing plants in refrigerated or frozen containers and is forwarded to a processing plant. The poultry waste is processed to eliminate any remaining feathers and internal organs and, optionally, to remove the skin. The breast portions of the poultry waste are removed and separated and are processed according to various specific client requirements in the fishing and crabbing industries. This processing involves further separation and packaging of the poultry waste, which is then sterilized by either radiation (first embodiment process) or ultra high hydrostatic treatment (second embodiment process). The poultry waste is then sent to a distribution center to be sold to various fishing and crabbing industry users.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a process that can convert poultry waste into usable bait for aquatic food sources such as fish, crab, conch, eel, shrimp, lobster, crayfish, etc.
It is another object of the invention to provide a process that successfully utilizes irradiation technology for sterilizing poultry waste.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a process that successfully utilizes ultra high hydrostatic pressure for sterilizing poultry waste.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a source of bait for aquatic food sources such as fish, crab, conch, eel, shrimp, lobster, crayfish, etc.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.